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Posted on 09/20/2005 6:16:38 AM PDT by NautiNurse
Hurricane Rita is in the Florida Straits, impacting the Florida Keys and South Florida Peninsula. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for numerous portions of South Florida. Check local weather statements for updates.
The following links are self-updating:
Public Advisory Currently published every 3 hours 5A, 8A, 11A, 2P, etc. ET
NHC Discussion Published every six hours 6A, 11A, 6P, 11P
Three Day Forecast Track
Five Day Forecast Track
Rita Forecast Track Archive
Forecast Models
Buoy Data SE Florida
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Florida
Images:
Storm Floater IR Loop
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Florida Radar/Sat Loop Caution: Broadband users only
Extra Large Miami Radar Broadband only
Extra Large Key West Radar Broadband only
Miami Long Range Radar Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Loop
Miami Experimental Radar Still Image
Key West Experimental Radar Still Image
Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)
WTVJ-TV/DT Miami (NBC6)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (CBS 4)
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (Fox)
Other Resources:
Florida East Coast Surf Reports Lots of great info here, including surf cams
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City
| Category | Wind Speed | Barometric Pressure | Storm Surge | Damage Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression |
< 39 mph < 34 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Tropical Storm |
39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Hurricane 1 (Weak) |
74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts |
28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more |
4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m |
Minimal damage to vegetation |
| Hurricane 2 (Moderate) |
96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts |
28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb |
6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m |
Moderate damage to houses |
| Hurricane 3 (Strong) |
111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts |
27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb |
9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m |
Extensive damage to small buildings |
| Hurricane 4 (Very strong) |
131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts |
27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb |
13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m |
Extreme structural damage |
| Hurricane 5 (Devastating) |
Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts |
Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb |
Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m |
Catastrophic building failures possible |
Previous Threads:
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18
The water in the gulf is like 90 degrees.
Many thanks for the insight, Ich. I'll do some quick research on Alicia for good measure. Thx. - OB1
Let's take a look at what the Houston area might be in for, depending on where Rita strikes...
Port Lavaca, and points south: Houston would probably get some much-needed rain showers and light winds, but nothing unmanageable. As a likely category-3 storm, Rita simply wouldn't have the oomph to cause widespread damage or flooding. One area of concern: Galveston's beaches. When Claudette struck near Matagorda Bay in 2003 as a category-1 hurricane, it destroyed 60 percent of some recently completed beach renourishment projects.
Matagorda County: Houston would see heavy rain and high winds. The rain probably will be less of a concern, as it takes a good 10 inches to cause appreciable flooding in most parts of the city. The winds, perhaps has high as 75 mph, would be more of a concern. Such winds could damage unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and smaller or older trees. Most power poles would probably survive. Tornadoes spawned by the storm could also cause havoc.
Galveston Island: Think Hurricane Alicia, which came ashore Galveston as a category-3 storm in 1983, with gusts up to 126 mph. The storm killed 21 people, destroyed 2,300 homes. The Red Cross sheltered 63,000 people. All told, in an era when there was considerably less coastal development, Alicia caused $2 billion in damage. Enough trees were blown down to fill a football field 1,200 feet high. The storm pushed the beach on Galveston's West End back by 150 feet in some places. Rita, if coming ashore in Galveston, could have winds near 100 mph over downtown Houston, enough to cause roofing and window damage to even well constructed homes. That's enough about Alicia, I think. It wouldn't be any fun.
Upper Texas Coast: Barrier islands here are already receding, and Rita would accelerate the process. Houston would be on the storm's drier side, although strong winds and rain would still be present in force. The scenario for this strike point is similar to Matagorda County.
Who does he think he is? The crowned federal mayor of Texas? What about posse comitatus? Did he ask permission? Bush doesn't care about us. (/s)
yours and Nauti-Nurses' advice help a lot! thanks! looks like we're leavin' here in a couple days...
I have lived a number of years in both Texas and Louisiana, and Texas has always been better organized. Good that it is becoming so Republican and conservative...
God bless, and y'all take care!
thats good, but max is giving SO CAlif t-storms.
New bulletin on Rita coming out in the next few minutes...
Two pages of images here
http://www5.wright-weather.com/bb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49127
Statement as of 5:00 PM EDT on September 20, 2005
Rita passing south of Key West, moving into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.
Movement toward west near 15 mph. Maximum sustained winds 100 mph. Minimum central pressure 973 mb.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles.
shouldn't this be something Rick Perry should mull over for 48hrs or so? Then complain about NG in Iraq. or some such like that...
/sarcasm
In 1961 I lived in Beaumont Tx and we had no Captain Kangaroo for a couple of days!!No power...that would be Hurricane Carla..on the Galveston seawall, there are
sections of the wall that say ...replaced after H.Carla...
New Bulletin
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/us/hurricane.html
And everybody needs to formalize their looting plans. Me, shoes.
Carla came in at Port Lavaca as a cat 3. 14 ft surge in clear lake area, plenty of damnage.
1961 - was it Hurricane Carla? It came in at Port O'Connor and was a biggie (slightly before my time, but people here still talk about it.
I go though Refugio on my way to Corpus Christi and used to have a great aunt and uncle who lived there. It IS a small town. Good little Mexican food restaurant there - Moya's? or is that in Tivoli?
TXBSAFH Hurricane Survival Guide:
4 days of food
4 days of water
4 days of diapers
4 days of formula
Candles
Batteries
100 lb charcoal for cookings
5 things of lighter fluid
10 gallons of gas in cans, full tanks in all vehicles
Radio
50 rounds of buck shot
200 5.56mm
50 rounds of .45 acp
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